The method and device of the present invention relate to separating one group of items from another efficiently and inexpensively. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and device for separating a sprue and runner combination from the desired products following injection molding.
During the process of injection molding, a product or products and a runner/sprue combination is obtained. The sprue is the material formed as a result of injecting material through a channel into a mold during the injection molding process. This channel branches off into a runner or runners which are channels connected to the area of the mold where the product or products are molded. Upon completion of the injection molding process the sprue and runner channels are filled with material molded to the shape of the sprue and runner. This molded material is referred to as the sprue/runner or sprue and runner combination. The sprue/runner can be recycled by remelting it and using it in another molding operation. Following the process of injection molding, it is necessary to separate the sprue/runner from the desired product.
Conventional methods of separating the sprue/runner from the products include employing a worker to manually separate them out of a common container into which they have fallen following their release from the mold. As an alternative, robots have been used to separate the sprue/runner from the product. These robots require computer programming and are costly. The principle drawbacks of these prior art arrangements are that they are both expensive and inefficient.